Marshfield to recognize 'Magnificent Seven' on Wednesday

Travis Wittlake has dubbed Marshfield’s group of senior wrestlers The Magnificent Seven.

Marshfield will celebrate the group Wednesday night before their final home duals, against Glide and North Bend. The first match is at 6 p.m. and Wittlake said the seniors will be recognized between the two duals.

“It’s a great group,” the coach said. “It’s going to be hard to lose them. Most of them have been together for a long time. A lot of them came up through club together.”

And most of them have had success at state.

Travis “Junior” Wittlake, the coach’s son, is a three-time state champion and AJ Lira and Garrett Lefebvre won their first state titles last winter. Willy Jantzer was fifth at state last year. Tyler Post and Phillip Hernandez each won a match. Then-freshman Kody Koumentis also was state champion last year, joining Junior Wittlake as the only freshmen in school history to claim state titles.

The seventh senior is Will Forbes, another four-year wrestler.

The group has elevated Marshfield to new heights.

“They have brought home a trophy every year at the state tournament, which is neat,” Travis Wittlake said.

Marshfield was third in 2015, second in 2016 and fourth in 2017.

The Pirates have had a strong season this year, as well.

Last weekend, Marshfield competed at the Reser Tournament of Champions at Hillsboro, where Junior Wittlake won his weight class and Lefebvre and Jantzer both finished second.

“It’s a really tough tournament,” Travis Wittlake said. “I was glad with how the guys did. I’m very proud of them.

“Garrett and Willy have really kind of stepped it up over the last month and really started progressing.”

Wittlake said he is happy Glide is coming, along with North Bend, for senior night.

“They’re pretty tough for 3A,” he said of the Wildcats.

Wednesday is not Marshfield’s final home action, just its last regular dual at home.

On Friday, the Pirates host the annual Bay City Duals, though the field is smaller than in past years because of another big tournament Saturday.

Wittlake said six or seven teams would be competing Friday, with all getting five duals — three mats will be used, meaning three duals contested simultaneously.

Weight-ins start at 9 a.m. Friday, with the matches starting at 11.

Junction City Invitational: Reedsport had two wrestlers finish second and placed eighth out of 17 schools in the team race in the Saturday tournament at Junction City.

Carson Keith (106 pounds) and Nick Glover (160) each pinned four straight foes before losing in the championship match.

Eli Carson was third at 126 pounds.

Meanwhile, Reedsport’s two girls continue to wrestle well heading into their state qualifier this weekend at Thurston High School in Springfield.

At Junction City, Divinity Farris finished second in her girls bracket, with three pins and a decision. Yesenia Velazquez was fourth, beating two foes but losing to Farris and Pleasant Hill’s Jaesa Ruchti, who beat both Reedsport wrestlers.